A smartphone that’s a power bank too

Ask a question to a smartphone owner, “what's the one thing you would like to see improved in your phone?” I guarantee, most of them would answer “the battery life”.

Can we actually live few days without our phone charger? Some of us may say ‘Yes’….probably by only receiving the important calls,  using 3G/4G only when needed, or carrying a power bank along…or may be switching off the phone time to time…Isn’t it?

Charging a smartphone is a daily chore that we simply can’t avoid. But, how about carrying a smartphone with humongous battery life?

Yes! On 23^rd May, ASUS has launched a smartphone with mammoth 5,000mAh battery –‘Zenfone Max’. ASUS claims that apparently, one full charge of the phone allows you to just keep on talking on the phone for 37.6 hours, keep surfing the net for 32.5 hours or to watch your favourite videos for 22.6 hours. 

So, before writing this blog, I used the handset for few days. 3 days after using the phone, I am still left with sufficient battery for 6 more days!  Isn’t it just WOW?

Now, I will have to confess, this battery back-up will compel me to love Zenfone Max badly, soon!

However, I am impressed with the Launch style of the product too:

I would have to say, ASUS launched this product in a remarkable way…A week before the launch date, they sent me the phone in a sealed box, with an letter to invite me to watch the livestream of the launch, where they would announce the code to open the box at the end.

The launch was really unique, an unusual approach. In the livestream – ‘#liveunplugged’, ASUS announced Sonakshi Sinha as the brand Ambassador.

Features & Functionality:

ASUS ZenFone Max is an amazing phone packed with loads of practical features and functionalities that other phones in the market do not have. So, let us dug deep into the device! I will share my experience with the Zenfone Max after using it for a while.

Build & Design :

The Asus Zenfone Max flaunts a 5.5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) IPS display. The rubberised back gives it a quality look and feel. 

Unlike the back button setup that we see on the Zenfone 2 and the Zenfone 2 Laser, Zenfone Max has  a more traditional setup with volume rocker and the power button the right side. It also features a removable back panel, with the dual-SIM cards, microSD card.  You can expand the storage up to 64GB using a microSD card. But the huge 5,000mAh battery is not removable.

The smartphone weighs 202 grams. Though many of us may feel it weighing down in palms, I don’t think it is a matter to be ‘not considered’. Overall, the device feels well built, sturdy and trendy.

Camera

ZenFone Max can capture stunning photos too like it’s other varients! It has a 13MP PixelMaster camera that can capture high-resolution photos with zero shutter lag. The ultra-fast laser auto-focus feature also reduces blurring and. its ‘Low Light’ mode helps capture up to 400% brighter photos at night or in low-light scenes, without the need for a flash.

While up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The cameras also come with a plethora of shooting modes like manual, HDR, panorama, beautification, low light, night, depth of field, slow motion, time lapse, miniature and smart remove among others.

Here are few pictures clicked by the phone :

  

  

Battery Back up

Battery life is something that is going to sway a buyer’s decision in its favor. As I mentioned earlier, after using the mobile device modestly for three days, I was still left out with the power for next 6 days. Infact, you can track how much battery you have left with, by visiting the settings. 

The accompanying OTG cable turns the device into a charger to power up the users' other gadgets, making it unique in that sense.

Price:

Asus Zenfone Max with its upgraded internal hardware makes for a great value for money proposition.

Conclusion:

With the given price tag, Zenfone Max with its upgraded internal hardware makes for a great value for money proposition. It surely outshines with its massive battery, trendy design, and robust user interface.

ASUS Zenpad 7 review

I often recall those days, when we did not have any phone, not even land-phone at home. I used to write letters to my parents from the hostel…be un-connected with loved ones for long time… Cried a lot when I had to be part from my hostel-mates, class-mates, thinking about the probability of not coming across most of them forever…..

But what! Life-style is changing so fast….Technology is pushing all the boundaries with high-speed. Orkut popped, Facebook hopped, Whatsapp topped to bring all family-members, friends, loved ones back to ring. Now, can we imagine a day without phone? Forget about phone, is it really be easy to live without internet even?

Whatever!!! The rate of smartphone adoption is astronomical. And, the rate of tablet adoption has been even faster. 

Receiving Zenpad 7 from ASUS for review made me really excited on the eve of Christmas. It was as if my gift from Santa. And to add-on, guess, what raised my eye-brows? When I was un-boxing the tablet, my five year old son was even more excited and asked me, “Isn’t it for me, Mamma?”

Anyways, I transferred my Micro-Sim to this new device in no time, started using it, flaunt it, and started analyzing it’s features and functionalities with my eagle eyes. So, here is my review for the same…

First of all, ASUS knows how to put together a winning package. The ASUS ZenPad 7 is a tablet that offers high-end entertainment, on-the-go working and a whole horde of different ways to keep you happy and engaged whether via snapping wide 140 degree panoramic selfies, beautifying images at the touch of a button or using social networks, apps, games and the internet.

Look and Feel  

Do you love to flaunt? If yes, explore Zenpad!! Because, ZenPad is very impressive at the first glance. It is a cleanly designed 7 incher with leathery finish at the back and curvy metal chamfered edges that gives a premium look. The ZenPad 7 is more rectangular compared to an iPad, which tells you that it sports a 16:10 display ratio compared to the iPad’s 4:3. It has gorilla glass, so, hopefully, it will not break easily if you drop it….though I did not try this! J

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The removable back can be replaced with a clutch-style case, which basically attempts to look like a clutch bag. This clutch bag stores a power case that can also add battery life when it’s not in use, and an optional 5.1 Surround Sound audio cover. The audio cover is interesting with the speaker setup.

ZenPad 7.0 is available in two colors - Obsidian Black, Aurora Metallic.

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Camera 

Zenpad 7 features two PixelMaster cameras : an 8-megapixel main camera around the back, having auto-focus, manual mode, IR filter and 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The ZenPad 7 camera is reasonable by tablet standards, but not as good as Zenfone.

The Rear Camera has 15 effects modes to choose from while there are 8 on the Front Camera. These include Low-Light Mode, HDR (for better backlit images), Beautification (to improve portraits by adjusting the softness or brightness of the skin, eye size and cheek width), a Selfie mode with 140 degree Panorama if used with the front camera, Time Lapse, Time Rewind and Smart Remove, which deletes moving objects such as passers-by from the background of your shot. The ASUS ZenPad 7 on-board apps can be used to quickly edit, add effects and share to social media, cloud services or other linked devices.

Clicked by Zenpad 7

Clicked by Zenpad 7

The ASUS VisualMaster has been designed to take advantage of both the hardware and the software in this tablet to optimise its display. The ASUS Tru2Life feature enhances the color, contrast, sharpness and clarity of the photographs. Tru2Life is able to detect different lighting conditions and automatically adjusts the display to make it easy to view even when outdoors in bright sunlight. The ASUS Tru2Life intelligent settings know if a user is playing a game, watching video, looking at photos or on social networks and adjusts the contrast accordingly.

Battery-backup:

The addition of interchangeable Back Covers along with world’s first ASUS Audio Cover and ASUS Power Case means owners can style the same device to suit different occasions and needs. All of this can be done quickly and easily. ASUS Power Case incorporates a 3450 mAh (typical) non-removable polymer battery to extend the power of the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 by up to 175%, so, an additional six hours of battery life on top of the eight hours the device is capable of, so, 14 hours in total.

Ofcourse, battery life will vary according to use. Battery life measured by looping 720P video, brightness at 100nits, external microphone, WLAN/3G* on and Gmail logged in for email and updates.

Sound Bar

The ASUS Audio Cover simply snaps on to the rear of the device instead of the ASUS Zen Case. It brings DTS-HD Premium Sound to the ASUS ZenPad 7.0, meaning movies and music sound better than ever in virtual surround. It has its own internal battery for six hours of power and audio is delivered upwards through four Main channel speakers, one Center and a Subwoofer – all housed in one single strip. The cover also acts as protection for the screen and allows the tablet to stand neatly and safely in landscape.

Stay Secure & Keep a track

You can use the MyASUS app for 24/7 advice through instant online chat. All of your notifications are housed here in the Message Center.

Besides, if you have a kid, Zenpad 7 is good for you. Tap the Kids Mode app to open a safe area for your children when using the ASUS ZenPad 7. It has a browser with filtering and parental controls plus PIN codes to prevent access. You can even set a time limit on their usage. When in Kids Mode, the browser can automatically prevent access to the likes of YouTube, pornography or eBay if these terms are searched for by a child.

Eye-sight Safe

Do you have eye-sight problem like me??? Then, you can check it out this device for sure. I liked the ASUS Bluelight filter of this tablet. There is less chance of getting eye fatigue. ASUS ZenPad 7.0 combats this by reducing the blue light emission by around 30% without disturbing the rest of color balance. You just need to use the pull down menu and click on Bluelight filter icon to activate it. The colors can be set from cool to warm using ASUS Splendid. 

Softwares:

With it’s display size of 17.7 centimetres, Zenpad 7 has an Intel Atom x3-C3230 Quad Core Processor. Other features include an internal memory of 16GB. All ZenPad variants operate on Android v5.0 (Lollipop), offer IPS display upto 178 degrees viewing angle and come equipped with Zen Motion support Touch gesture providing a superior experience. Users also get 5GB ASUS Web Storage space for life with an additional 11GB for the first year and 100GB of Google Drive space for two years.

Pricing

The pricing matches with its tagline “luxury at your own terms”. ASUS is targeting the low end of the market with visually striking device with bottom of the barrel pricing.

It is priced at Rs. 14,999 with audio cover and Rs. 11,999 without audio cover.

Over all, it can be used as a phone, a camera, a library, a multi media channel, a teacher, a games console, and even a business partner. It’s easy to use, and so slim in shape and light in weight that you won’t have to worry to carry, though with the Power case, it becomes a bit bulky and heavy, ofcourse.

ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser review

I have some idea or perception about ASUS products, as I have attended couple of blogger launch of the products.

Next mobile phone I was planning to buy was sure shot of ASUS. Was not sure which model, ofcourse! When I received a lovely handset called – ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser to review, excitement made me busy using it in my leisure time.

It came to the market in August, 2015.Here is my review after using for couple of weeks....

Look and Feel….

It’s simply trendy at the first glance! It is beautifully crafted with ultra thin edges.

With 5.5-inch display size, it somewhat falls in phablet territory. The phone is slightly large for one who loves to keep the phone in the pocket most of the time, but good for those who love to read books or mails, play games or watch videos on the mobile.

The HD screen isn’t as sharp as some others in this price range, but it is still clear and looks good. The 5.5-inch HD (720x1280p) IPS display offers vibrant colours, good brightness levels and wide viewing angles.

The phone comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection to safeguard against scratches. Touch response is also pretty good.

The phone’s volume control buttons are on the rear and the power/screen lock is at the top. This is an uncommon combination as most of the phones launched in the recent past come with side buttons for power/screen lock and volume control for easy access. But the double tap-to-wake feature solves this problem. Besides, that’s okey I believe as it all depends on the habit.

Just below the display, there are three capacitive touch buttons for navigation and a metallic strip. The navigation keys on the Zenfone 2 Laser are not backlit, but these are clear enough.

The phone sports a removable back panel that features a matte finish and is slightly rounded.

Specifications:  

Performance is good enough for a phone of this class with good battery life. The 3000mAh battery easily lasts for a day, even with 4G on. You will be able to play most of the games and multi-task without a problem. In fact, Zenfone 2 Laser has strong connectivity, getting a signal in areas where many other phones don’t.

The phone runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with Asus' new ZenUI skin that also supports themes.

The Asus ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and it comes with 2GB of RAM. The phone packs 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card.

The phone offers Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS connectivity options. It does not support NFC but offers FM radio.

There's also a Kids Mode in case you have kids who always have their eyes set on your phone. It lets you choose selected apps and password protect the rest of the phone.

Call quality and signal reception of the phone is good.  I used 4G data where I was able to get a good signal with 25Mbps+ speeds.

Camera

Do you have pimples or rashes or any other spot on your face? Then, don’t worry, take a selfie by this phone and you will be amazed. It’s 5MP front camera takes such nice selfies that automatically make you look really good with beautification effects.

The most special functionality of this device is - laser Auto Focus. The phone sports a 13MP rear camera with laser Auto Focus for 0.3 second focus time and dual-LED flash. It's one of the few phones, infact the only budget phone to come with laser autofocus for faster focus. The rear camera of this phone features a five-prism Largan lens and Toshiba sensors, and is accompanied by a dual-tone, dual-LED flash.

The camera which has f2.0 aperture, takes good quality pictures in daylight with optimum level of detail and balanced contrast and colours. However, in low-light conditions, the pictures are not as excellent or details as in the daylight, though the dual-LED flash helps in filling light.

Different mode options of taking picture will surely reduce ‘the urge of clicking by a DSLR camera’. Here are few pictures, I clicked in different mode:

 

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Price :

Zenfone 2 Laser comes in two series: ZE550KL and ZE500KL, which again have two different variants based on their configuration.

In ZE550KL series, the Rs. 9,999 variant comes with 5.5-inch display, 2GB RAM, and 16GB internal storage whereas the Rs. 13,999 variant has 3GB of RAM and rest of the specs are same as of Rs. 9,999 variant.

And both the variants of ZE500KL series features a 5-inch display, 2GB RAM, Quad-core processor, but the 8GB internal storage variant is priced for Rs. 9,799 and 16GB storage option is priced for Rs. 9,999.

Conclusion:

If the camera matters to you a lot, then the Zenfone 2 Laser is an excellent choice. There is a little scope of improvement in volume when you put the call on speaker.

The Asus Zenfone 2 Laser is one of the best smartphones available under Rs 10,000. It packs in good hardware specifications, a great camera with laser auto-focus, good battery backup and well-off software features.

I am not just saying for the sake of it, but I am saying all these by using this!